Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
5. Dorothy Picks the Princess
AndifIcan’teatthepigletsyoumayaswellplantmeatonceandraisecatsup."
"Ihaveanidea,"saidtheWizard,"thattherearefishesinthesebrooks.Doyoulikefish?"
"Fish!"criedthekitten."DoIlikefish?Why,they’rebetterthanpiglets—orevenmilk!"
"ThenI’lltrytocatchyousome,"saidhe.
"Butwon’ttheybeveg’table,likeeverythingelsehere?"askedthekitten.
"Ithinknot.Fishesarenotanimals,andtheyareascoldandmoistasthevegetablesthemselves.Thereisnoreason,thatIcansee,whytheymaynotexistinthewatersofthisstrangecountry."
ThentheWizardbentapinforahookandtookalongpieceofstringfromhispocketforafish-line.Theonlybaithecouldfindwasabrightredblossomfromaflower;butheknewfishesareeasytofoolifanythingbrightattractstheirattention,sohedecidedtotrytheblossom.Havingthrowntheendofhislineinthewaterofanearbybrookhesoonfeltasharptugthattoldhimafishhadbittenandwascaughtonthebentpin;sothelittlemandrewinthestringand,sureenough,thefishcamewithitandwaslandedsafelyontheshore,whereitbegantofloparoundingreatexcitement.
Thefishwasfatandround,anditsscalesglistenedlikebeautifullycutjewelssetclosetogether;buttherewasnotimetoexamineitclosely,forEurekamadeajumpandcaughtitbetweenherclaws,andinafewmomentsithadentirelydisappeared.
"Oh,Eureka!"criedDorothy,"didyoueatthebones?"
"Ifithadanybones,Iatethem,"repliedthekitten,composedly,asitwasheditsfaceafterthemeal.
